London's Oldest Swimming Baths

The oldest swimming pool in London, the Forest Hills Pools.

Location: Forest Hill Swimming Pools, Dartmouth Road, Lond, SE23 3HZ

Description: The Pools opened on May 2nd 1885 in a Victorian crusade for 'health & safety'. This was to bring baths and clean warm water to many parts of the growing population in the area who had no or ilimited access. The Pools indeed had 'slipper baths' specifically to enable people to have a bath in private. It also had upper class and working class pools so social mobility would not enabled by the shedding of clothes when bathing in public.

Forest Hill Pools was home for Linda Lovegrove, Commonwealth Gold Medalist & World Record holder 1962-67.